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College Sports Transformation: A Lesson for Business

In 1976 I joined the Michigan State University Sports Medicine staff as a 17 year old freshman. It was my dream, all I ever aspired to do was support high level athletes in their pursuits. The experience I gained in just one year was phenomenal. Working with Big 10, yes there were only ten schools in the Big Ten at the time, athletes, physicians and Athleteic Trainers shaped much of my life. I loved collegiate athletics. Not any more! I can barely follow Division 1, FBS schools without shaking my head.

The transformation from an extracurricular activity that allowed opportunities for gifted athletes to achieve an education has turned into a full-on business endeavor for college football and basketball. Now, the gymnasts, fencers and swimmers still go to class and take advantage of the athletic scholarships. These athletes ride around in vans, stay in cheap hotels and remain uknown to most people. They complete their studies at a high graudation rate and become contributing members of society, as far as I know competitive fencers don’t demand $20 milllion contracts.

Over the past few years with the introduction of Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) contracts and the Transfer Portal the landscape in collegiate athletics has been entirely transformed. It’s a new world. So new that coaches are retiring, fans have not idea who actually plays for their Alma Mater from year to year and female athletes take a pay cut when they go pro.

The immediacy of the transformation has been so dramatic it makes any commercial business green-eyed with jealousy. So let’s break it down and do some comparison between the collegiate athletics transformation and a typical business transformation.

OBJECTIVE

Collegiate Athletics: Generate growth for the institution and individuals through enhanced revenue.

Business: Generate growth for the business through enhanced revenue.

STAKEHOLDERS

Collegiate Athletics: Institutional Leadership, Athletic Directors, Media Outlets, Individual Athletes

Business: Business Leadership, Shareholders

INVESTMENT

Collegiate Athletics: ZERO (any and all new costs are borne by commercial investors)

Business: Varies by magnitude of transformation and company size. Let’s throw a number at it from my experience in the large enterprise space of $100-$200 million off the bottom line.

COMMITTMENT TO END STATE

Collegiate Athletics: Extremely High, little or no resistance to adoption

Business: Dependant on multiple variables. In most cases resistance is typically high in the early stages as committment to end state is high. Over time resistance becomes higher, if not managed correctly, and committment wanes.

SPEED TO VALUE

Collegiate Athletics: Immediate following court decision and contract negotiations with athetes

Business: On the balance a major transformation time to value is 3 to 5 years.

LEARNINGS

Transformation, when driven by legal means, can be fast and furious much like the whirlwind caused by Sarbannes-Oxley following the Enron debacle. When a transformation is driven by a vision for the future without the stick of legal or regulatory rules the pace is slow, the investment high and the speed to value lengthy.

Conceptually the “burning platform” for change should always carry both a positive result and a negative outcome. Many times a business contemplating transformation will focus only the potential positive outcomes. Putting some fear into stakeholders about the negative consequences of transformation assists the psychological acceptance and adoption of the future vision.

What’s In It For Me (WIIFM). Student athletes are all in! They see dollar signs everyone for themselves personally. University leadership sees millions of dollars flooding into their coffers from media contracts. The WIIFM is clear and strong for collegiate athletics. In business the WIIFM is much softer and more challenging to quantify. Most workers in a business see very little gain from a major transformation. Possibly some reduced manual labor or the promise of contuing employment with the opposite also being in the back of their minds of automation replacing their employment. Leadership and shareholders hope that the transformation moves faster than market forces.

The primary learning from the rapid transformation of collegiate athletics is that a clear message resonates, backed by significant risk of non-adoption with strong WIFFMs for all the stakeholders impacted.

Take a strong, committed stand to your transformation efforts. Tell an honest story that articulates both the positive and the negative. Drive ahead at mach speed, do not delay the change.

April 16, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Selling Air

I’ve been selling air my entire business life. Having never been a hard goods or software seller the ability to sell a vision to clients is essential, it’s like selling air—intangible.

From my earliest days of developing business in the aerospace and defense world where I was selling a vision of the latest and greatest flying machine, yet to be built, to the selling of a new business strategy. Selling a vision of what can be requires skill, strategy, and a deep understanding of the client’s needs and desires.

Just as air is vital for life, a compelling vision is crucial for the success and growth of any business. When I used the phrase ‘selling air’ with my associates recently they chuckled a bit and blew me off. So, I thought it would be a good time to explore the parallels between selling a vision and selling air.

Air is everywhere, yet we only notice its importance when it’s absent or smells bad. Similarly, a clear, inspiring vision may not be immediately apparent to clients, but its absence can lead to stagnation or failure. To sell air, it begins with first making clients aware of its value and the benefits it provides. Similarly, selling a vision requires you to articulate its benefits clearly and convincingly.

One of the challenges of selling air is that it’s invisible and intangible. Similarly, a vision is often abstract, making it challenging to communicate its full impact. Overcoming this challenge, requires skilled and compelling storytelling coupled with vivid imagery to make your vision come alive for your clients. Help them visualize the future you envision and how it will positively impact their lives or businesses.

Similarly, the selling of a vision and selling air requires a tailored approach to different clients. Just as different people have different needs for air (e.g., athletes need more oxygen than sedentary individuals), different clients have different needs and priorities. When selling a vision, take the time to understand each client’s unique challenges, goals, and aspirations, and tailor that vision to address their specific needs.

Just as air quality can vary based on location and environment, the quality of your vision can vary based on how well it aligns with the client’s values and objectives. Ensure that your vision is not only compelling but also relevant and aligned with the client’s long-term goals.

Selling air requires trust. Clients must trust that the air you’re selling is clean and safe to breathe. Clients must trust that your vision is achievable and will deliver the promised benefits. Build trust by providing evidence, testimonials, and examples of how your vision has worked for others.

As essential for life is air, a compelling vision is essential for inspiring and motivating action. Your vision should not only be aspirational but also practical and actionable. Clearly outline the steps required to achieve your vision and the expected outcomes.

Living in the world of intangible selling can be both frustrating and glorious. Facts, figures, and features have no place here. Deep data only confuses the vision and distracts from the story.

Succes begins with showing the value of the future, constructing a compelling story to bring it to life that means something deep in the client’s soul. What is it that excites them about their personal future? About the future of the business? Achieving the visceral commitment to achieving the vision demands alignment with their values and goals, a bond of trust, and a clear roadmap for achieving the vision.

Go ahead and sell some air, it’s essential for life!

April 2, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , | Leave a comment

A Twisted Pair: Growth & Risk Mitigation

We are surrounded by opportunities. Each opportunity brings with it inherent risks. Just looking around at everything we do every day there is risk around every corner. From crossing the street to grilling on a barbeque, risk is all around us.  Navigating risk is the foundation of growth, both in life and in business.

Whether you’re a startup founder or a seasoned business leader, navigating risks effectively will significantly impact your company’s growth trajectory.  How we manage that risk makes all the difference.  Examples of typical risks include both internal and external factors.  Common internal risks include operational inefficiencies, talent management, inadequate financial controls, or poor strategic planning.  External risks range from economic downturns to regulatory changes or supply chain disruptions.  These are only a few of the risks that could be encountered on a regular basis.  What a mess!

I’ve found in my experience that an abundance of the potential risks can be determined well in advance of a crisis occurring if we keep our eyes open and ears to the ground.  Situation awareness is crucial for risk management to be an ally.  Seeing the whole picture of the business environment in context to your own endeavors will allow you to see well in advance of serious risks so that mitigation actions can be taken, and growth scenarios built.

Thinking about risk management is everyone’s responsibility.  I’ve highlighted a few things to consider in helping ensure growth and risk can work in synergy.

1. Identify and Assess Potential Risks

Before mitigating risk, you must understand what you’re up against. Conduct a comprehensive risk assessment by considering both internal and external factors. Execute the identification process deliberately as part of your planning cycle.  Log the risks, rank them for severity and probability of occurrence.

2. Plan for Potential Scenarios

Anticipate potential risks by creating various scenarios. What if demand suddenly drops? What if a key supplier goes out of business? Scenario planning helps you prepare for the unexpected. Develop contingency plans for each scenario, ensuring that your business can adapt swiftly when needed. This is where the latest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) can make a huge difference. The latest AI technology allows for rapid scenario analysis.

3. Spread the Risk

Diversification isn’t just for investment portfolios; it applies to business risk as well. Relying too heavily on a single product, market, or customer can be dangerous. Diversify revenue streams, expand into new markets, and build a resilient customer base. By spreading the risk, you hedge against the impact of any single risk event.

4. Build Resilient Operations

Build operational resilience by investing in robust processes, redundant systems, and disaster recovery plans. Regularly test these mechanisms to ensure they function seamlessly during crises. A resilient business can weather storms without compromising customer satisfaction or core operations.  Our recent experience with the global pandemic puts a fine point on resiliency.  During that period, I saw some of my clients scramble to implement remote communications processes for typically desk bound employees or rapidly invest in innovative methods to manage their disrupted supply chains. Build to weather any storm.

5. Watch the Data

Leverage data analytics to identify patterns and predict potential risks. Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and track deviations. Early detection allows you to take corrective actions promptly. Whether it’s detecting fraud or optimizing supply chain logistics, data-driven insights enhance risk management.

6. Embrace Change

Risk management isn’t static; it’s an ongoing process. Stay informed about industry trends, regulatory changes, and emerging risks. Maintain a high level of situation awareness. Adapt your strategies accordingly. A growth-oriented business embraces change and learns from both successes and failures.

7. Lead with Commitment

Risk management starts at the top. Leaders must champion a risk-aware culture. Encourage employees to report risks without fear of reprisal. When everyone understands their role in mitigating risk, the entire organization becomes more resilient.

The twisted pair of  business growth and risk management go hand in hand. By proactively identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks, you pave the way for sustainable expansion. Remember that risk isn’t the enemy—it’s an opportunity to innovate, adapt, and thrive.

May 6, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Are You Torturing Your Data?

The Scene

In the dimly lit chamber of ones and zeros, where data slumbers, the flickering fluorescent lights hummed a melancholic tune, and the air smelled of burnt circuits and forsaken dreams.

Before the database stands a weary human, hunched over a massive data table. Eyes, bloodshot from countless late nights, bore the weight of expectations. Fingers danced across the keyboard, summoning arcane SQL incantations. But the data table remained stubborn, withholding its secrets.

“Tell me!” the analyst pleaded, voice echoing off the cold, sterile walls. “Where are the sales figures for Q3? The projections for next year? The elusive customer churn rate?”

The data table remained silent, rows and columns mocking him. Its cells held the answers, but they were encrypted in cryptic codes and nested joins. The analyst’s desperation grew, and he clenched his fists, knuckles white.

He tried coercion, threatening the table with NULL values and DELETE statements. But the table merely shrugged, unyielding. It had seen countless analysts before—some defeated, others broken—but it remained stoic, like an ancient oracle guarding forbidden knowledge.

The analyst’s eyes darted to the clock. Deadlines loomed like vultures, circling overhead. His sanity frayed at the edges. He pulled at his hair, muttering regex prayers and vowing to sacrifice a USB drive to the SQL gods.

And then, in a desperate act of defiance, he reached for the mouse. With trembling fingers, he clicked and dragged, selecting entire columns. The data table quivered, its digital essence trembling.

“Speak!” the human shouted, sweat dripping onto the keyboard. “Reveal your secrets!”

And there, in a pixelated burst of defiance, the data table complied. Rows unfolded like ancient scrolls, revealing graphs, trends, and insights. The human gasped, his eyes wide with revelation.

But victory came at a cost. The data table whispered its final plea: “Normalize me, optimize me, and remember—I am more than cells and bytes. I am the heartbeat of your decisions.”

The human nodded, humbled. He copied the data, closed the table, and stepped back into the harsh fluorescent light. Outside, the world awaited, hungry for answers.

And so, with newfound wisdom, he emerged—a weary hero, scarred by SQL battles, yet armed with insights. For in the labyrinth of data, where tables held their secrets close, he had learned the truth:

Data, like life, yields only to those who persist, question, and listen.

If this story sounds anything like a typical day then it’s time for logic to set into your work. Stop torturing data to provide answers. Start building data sets designed to meet your needs. Here are a few tips:

  1. Begin with the end in mind. When designing data collection strategies begin with what you’re looking for from the data set.
  2. Articulate your business goals clearly with measurable outcomes and trend points.
  3. Develop a list of clear questions the data will answer for you.
  4. Determine the amount of data required to make the answers reliable.
  5. Load dummy data that reflects your goals and the answers you’re seeking.
  6. Test…Modify…Test…until your design works.

Torturing data will eventually give you the answers you’re looking for. Designing collection strategies will give you answers on demand.

May 1, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

THIRTY IS THE NEW TWENTY-ONE

Recently I’ve seen various pieces discussing why people don’t want to work anymore.  Is that true?

When I review the articles, they offer a list of circumstances that drive the perception that folks don’t want to work.  The reasons go from not enough pay to the rise of entrepreneurship.  Really!

In my experience interacting with clients, local universities, and just plain folk I don’t get the impression people don’t want to work anymore.  I do find that new graduates are much more selective about the roles and companies they choose to contribute their talents to for their work.  As is commonly the case with media of any type, social or print, hyperbole rules the day. 

Work drives self-confidence. Contribution to a cause or a goal in achieving a mission makes getting up every morning worthwhile. It’s just that these days young people want more than a paycheck. They have been so accustomed to the abundance of their childhood there’s a feeling that things continue status quo forever. 

I was chatting with a group of young associates the other day and they all were focused on discussing their next adventure in an exotic location or their personal fitness goals and preferred diet.  Of course, in their late 20’s none is married or has children.  Most live in rented apartments and drive older vehicles. So, I commented to them that the age of thirty is the new twenty-one. Boy was there an uproar.  “What do you mean?”  Well, being a baby boomer, the answer was clear. At the age of thirty most of my generation had a family, a mortgage, two cars, and had never been to Borneo on holiday.

The point here is that the impression that no one wants to work anymore is driven by the reality that work is a sideline to life for the generations succeeding baby boomers.  While boomers, like me, are in the waning stages of dedicated work lives. Hence, employers find it challenging to hire and retain a consistent workforce.

Culture, as described by language, rituals and artifacts of a civilization are changing in our time. No longer are the rituals of marriage and family associated with youth. The artifacts of success have changed from material wealth to a wealth of experiences and selfies. The language of work has been replaced by the language of health, fitness, and travel. 

Employers must be aware of the cultural change and adapt appropriately.

  • Clearly articulate the underlying mission of your organization so aspiring employees know what to expect.
  • Offer multiple accession tracks with off-ramps to accommodate a stop-out period for travel or mid-career maternity/paternity.
  • Be open to the virtual vagabond employee through planning where new hires may have an on-premises work requirement for a determined period before remote options are available.
  • Purposefully create cultural norms that represent the business to both internal and external stakeholders.

This cultural change is a tough nut for management.  It’s a 180-degree flip from what we as a culture have been accustomed to for over a century.  It’ll take time and effort to achieve the productivity desired of employees while meeting their intrinsic needs. Remember our friend Maslow?  Today’s workforce places self-actualization achievement over basic needs, they assume they will have their basic needs met somehow.

April 23, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , | Leave a comment

Tyrannical False Choices

In a world filled with decisions, we often find ourselves trapped in a web or false choices. These pesky little monsters force us to pick between two seemingly opposing options with little room for nuance or creativity. It’s like choosing between a lukewarm cup of coffee or a swift kick in the butt. Binary choices are fraught with foolishness.

Society and the business world loves to shove these false choices down our throats. Imagine standing at a crossroads, torn between two paths. On one side, you’ve got the safe, vanilla option – the kind of choice even Sister Mary Margaret would approve of. On the other side, it’s a winding unpaved path to the unknown where your insurance company fails to cover you.

False choices rely on conformity. They’re like grade school bullies, shoving you in the ‘normal’ locker. Follow the rules or there are consequences.

You’ve got to always question the framing of a false choice. When I was growing up my dad would ask me with a smile “Do you want to go to New York or by bus?” Now is that really a choice? What he was actually asking was ” Do you want the answer, or can you figure it out yourself?”

Every choice we make leaves something behind. In my book “Beware the Shiny Object” I talk about the value and importance of Just Deciding. There is really only one choice that is irreversible, the rest of them offer opportunities.

You can break free of false choices and make your own decisions. Leave the binary mindset behind:

  1. Seek Third Options like they’re hidden treasure. When a false choice rears its ugly head give it a good whack and invent other options.
  2. Expand the Conversation to explore the gray areas. Gray areas are where ideas can be synthesized and explored.
  3. Turn Multiple-Choice questions into forced ranked choices. Life isn’t a multiple-choice test – it’s a messy, exciting show-your-work blue book.

It seems everyday governments, businesses, and society give us a never-ending stream of false choices to contend with from what to call each other to where to work to how to mow your lawn. If we all spent less time whining about the foolish list of false choices and more time deciding on what works best maybe, just maybe, false choices will slowly disappear.

April 9, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Coming Soon! Beware the Shiny Object

I’ve been working on a book since the start of the new year, although it’s been about 30 years in research. The content is complete and final editing is in progress with a release date within the next 30 days. So excited!

Every business leader could use a bit of advice occasionally. In this book, I share 19 and ½ Nuggets of Business Wisdom accrued from the last 35 years under the covers of all types of businesses. Whether you’re a software developer or leading a multi-million-dollar manufacturing business, this book has something for you.  Every business leader looks for concise honest insights with clear actions.  This book delivers.

Topics of interest include strategic decision making, organization transformation, program management, team building, customer engagement and others. With each nugget I highlights traps that can be set and practical tips to avoid them highlighted by real world case studies.

You’ll find each nugget either thought provoking or strangely familiar.

Over the next few weeks I’ll post snippets of the book to this site.

March 27, 2024 Posted by | Thinking About Change, Uncategorized | , , | Leave a comment

Moments Matter

Life is about moments. As each day passes we grind through the rigors of survival in whirlwind of activity. But every once in a while, there’s a moment we remember that stays with us forever. That first meeting with the love of your life, the birth of your first child, first day of your first real job, I could go on, but, those moments are real life milestones. I’m thinking about the little moments that impact us we never expected.

Back in the stone ages, when I was flying jets for a living in the Air Force every day, we would have these monthly safety meetings. One time there was a video produced by a Navy flight surgeon. The Doc was walking through the psychology of why Navy pilots either continue their careers or move on. A moment was the answer. One moment during a cruise after weeks of drudgery the flyer would have an experience of wonder and excitement. That moment, that one moment, would validate the reason for staying with the grind, being away from home for extended periods, living in tight quarters and landing on a moving stamp in the middle of the ocean. One little moment.

Think about how moments sneak up on us. In our personal lives they happen all the time, at least to me. In business, moments can make or break an entire brand.

When I work with clients around customer journey mapping it’s essential to determine “moments of truth” where customers experience the brand in a moment that impacts their perception forever. Be intentional when designing moments of truth for you customers. Whether it’s a first impression on-line or the un-boxing moment. Make all their moments a delight.

Moments matter…a lot!

March 18, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , | Leave a comment

Brevity Wins Every Time

Need to communicate something important? Do it fast!

Since the turn of the century, this century, the average adult attention span has dropped from 12 seconds to 8 seconds, based on a Microsoft study, which when compared to the 9 second attention span of a goldfish, according to a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Let me be clear, goldfish have a longer attention span than humans.

Ever wonder why you have to remind everyone from your last meeting what the point was? Well, now you know. So let me make this brief. If you don’t deliver a message clearly and concisely in 8 seconds or less the game is over. But remember that not everyone is listenting during the first time you deliver the message so you have to deliver it multiple times in multiple ways so maybe 30% or the listeners will walk away with what you want them to hear.

Sitting in a room full of ‘busy’ people listening to you while answering emails on their laptop and looking for texts on their phone is not productive unless you beat them into submission by using every tool in your communication kit. Being longwinded and using 5 syllable words is not a good idea.

Here are some simple tips:

  • Gain attention by opening with a provocative statement
  • Be clear about what the message is right up front
  • Concisely explain why the message is valuable to ‘them’
  • Repeat the message multiple times in multiple ways, visual aids help
  • Close by reinforcing the message
  • Check for understanding and connection by asking what was heard

Don’t waste time with long presentations that build to a climax. Hit hard, hit fast and hit again!

In the words of Franklin Delan Roosevelt “Be sincere. Be brief. Be seated.

March 12, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

En Fuego!! Sort of…

Two-thousand business cards. Going through my desk drawer today I realized just how many business cards I’ve collected over the years and saved because those people the cards represent could result in a friendship or business relationship. Some are reminders of former clients that have moved on to other jobs, started their own businesses or just retired. Of course the two-thousand are exclusive to the unknown number of electronic contacts made since the demise of the formal business card.

What this brought to mind is the change in business relationship development that’s occured. Digital marketing, intent marketing, drip campaigns, social media marketing and all the various impersonal methods of connecting have caused an interesting effect. At my own niche firm and with clients I regularly debate the merits of electronic versus in-person interactions to develop new leads for projects. What I often hear about is the huge number of cold leads that come into a prospecting pipeline. “We’ve got a great pipeline of work, look at all these leads”, bah humbug! The reality is that most real opportunities come from the extended network represented by all those business cards.

Business cards in the drawer, or wherever they’re stored, represent physical touches with humans. A name, a face, a place, a shared smile, or common connection. I submit that twenty leads generated from a physical connection outweigh one-hundred from electronic sources, don’t quote me here I don’t have the data to support my claim. However, I can reliably say that a blend of electonic volume and personal engagement is the most reliable approach to converting leads to deals.

Critical success factors in developing new business realtionships always begin with TRUST! Trust in built over time through a combination of personal relationship development with key decision makers and having a clear postion on a challenge that decision maker is dealing with TODAY! Fishing for problems to solve in today’s world is a bit lazy. With all the information available at our fingertips today hitting a sweet spot with a new relationship is pretty easy. Using electronic marketing tools can generate volume for potential interactions. People build trust, devise creative solutions and build long term synergistic relationships.

Here’s the take away. If you think the opportunity pipeline is on-fire because digitial marketing says so, beware the conversion rate. Get personal, go out and collect some business cards!!!

March 4, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

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